NOVUM ORGANUM 87 



it probable that men may pass and hurry over the most 

 noble disc6veries which lie immediately before them. For 

 however the discovery of gunpowder, silk, the compass, 

 sugar, paper, or the like, may appear to depend on peculiar 

 properties of things and nature, printing at least involves 

 no contrivance which is not clear and almost obvious. But 

 from want of observing that although the arrangement of the 

 types of letters required more trouble than writing with the 

 hand, yet these types once arranged serve for innumerable 

 impressions, while manuscript only affords one copy; and 

 again, from want of observing that ink might be thickened so 

 as to stain without running (which was necessary, seeing the 

 letters face upward, and the impression is made from above), 

 this most beautiful invention (which assists so materially the 

 propagation of learning) remained unknown for so many 

 ages. 



The human mind is often so awkward and ill-regulated 

 in the career of invention that it is at first diffident, and then 

 despises itself. For it appears at first incredible that any 

 such discovery should be made, and when it has been made, 

 it appears incredible that it should so long have escaped 

 men s research. All which affords good reason for the hope 

 that a vast mass of inventions yet remains, which may be 

 deduced not only from the investigation of new modes of 

 operation, but also from transferring, comparing, and apply 

 ing these already known, by the method of what we have 

 termed literate experience. 



CXI. Nor should we omit another ground of hope. Let 

 men only consider (if they will) their infinite expenditure of 

 talent, time, and fortune, in matters and studies of far in 

 ferior importance and value; a small portion of which ap 

 plied to sound and solid learning would be sufficient to over- 



